Senator pushes Last Mile Schools bill to boost rural education

Senator Loren Legarda has filed Senate Bill No. 1412, also known as the Last Mile Schools Act, to deliver quality education to the country’s most remote and underserved communities.

The bill institutionalizes the Last Mile Schools (LMS) program under the Department of Education (DepEd) to serve learners in geographically isolated, disadvantaged, and conflict-affected areas (GIDCA), including Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs).

“Many of our schools in far-flung areas still operate without electricity, proper classrooms, or clean water,” Legarda said.

“We cannot expect children to learn or teachers to stay if we do not first provide the most basic conditions for education,” she added.

“This bill is about giving every community the means to sustain learning, not just access to it,” Legarda emphasized.

Findings from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) show that among the 9,000 remote schools nationwide, approximately 1,500 still lack access to electricity.

Many of these schools also suffer from inadequate sanitation, unsafe classrooms, limited internet connectivity, and a shortage of teachers.

These structural challenges, combined with difficult terrain and long travel distances, continue to keep thousands of Filipino children from completing basic education.

The proposed measure adopts a whole-of-government strategy to close the equity gap by directing DepEd to coordinate with other agencies for infrastructure, energy, and digital access.

Under the bill, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will construct access roads, while the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) will provide power connections.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is tasked with ensuring internet access for learning continuity in these remote schools.

In addition to physical infrastructure, DepEd must design education programs that reflect the cultural and logistical realities of these communities.

This includes teacher training modules, learner support services, and standards for maintaining schools in high-need areas.

“The goal is to make schools a living part of every community,” said Legarda.

“Education should not depend on distance or circumstance,” she said, adding, “When every child can learn within their own community, the promise of education becomes real.”

To promote transparency, the bill requires DepEd to establish a five-year school building program and separately report on the learning outcomes of students enrolled in Last Mile Schools.

These reports are intended to guide continuous policy improvements and ensure the responsible use of public funds in delivering education to the country’s most vulnerable populations.

The bill supports the full realization of Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997, particularly in upholding the right to culturally appropriate education.

If enacted, the Last Mile Schools Act will institutionalize sustained, government-wide support for remote learners who are often excluded from national development efforts.